The Accident
by Kellie Fay
Summary: A horrible accident causes Lilo to be air lifted to Honolulu for surgery.  What will Stitch do when he finds himself left behind in Kauai?


The Accident:

by Kellie Fay

Disclaimer: Lilo & Stitch and all related characters belong to the Walt Disney Company. Tina is mine and I may use her for a future story but I'm not sure yet. Shurshana is mine as well.

"Only a little further," Stitch said to himself as he paddled alone on the waves. The ocean was windy. As the waves made his little canoe bob up and down he wondered if one of those waves was going to be large enough to capsize his small craft. If it did he wouldn't have a chance this far from land. He would just sink into the water and die.

Maybe better that way, Stitch thought as he struggled to control the bobbing canoe. If he died at least the hollow empty feeling in his heart would go away, and maybe, maybe...

"No!" Stitch said out loud to the waves and wind. "Lilo not going to die. Going to find her, and make her better!" Strangely enough the winds died down at his affirmation, and the morning sun began to peep over the eastern horizon. It had only happened a day ago, but to Stitch it felt as if it had happened months ago, and yet the hurt was still there sharp and clear.

It was right after hula class that they all found out there would be a festival where they were going to preform. The hula master had wanted Lilo, Stitch, and Myrtle Evens to perform in a staring role. Myrtle had wanted the role to herself.

"No!" she said for the fifth time. "I am not sharing my stage with that pair of freaks!"

"Myrtle," the hula master said sternly, "Lilo and Stitch have earned that place. Now you can either perform with them. Or they can perform without you. You can tell me tomorrow what you've decided. "

Lilo smiled proudly at Stitch. It took him less than an hour of practice to be able to hula as well as any of the older girls. To Stitch it was no big deal. Jumba had given him an amazing capacity for learning, and figuring things out. True it was supposed to make him more destructive, but with his wonderful new life and family it helped him fit in occasionally. Now after only a year most of the little island community accepted him, but there were still the occasional hold out, like Myrtle.

As they were changing and preparing to leave Myrtle was keeping up a steady litany of how she was going to get her parents to complain about having a dog in a hula class. Even her own friends were keeping quiet about that. Whether or not they liked Lilo they respected the hula master's decision.

The complaints went on and on; out the door and down the street. Lilo and Stitch finally were able to make the left turn, and get away from Myrtle and her ranting, but Myrtle wasn't ready to stop yelling at Lilo. Once she noticed Lilo missing she got into the street, and began to follow her.

"When my dad finds out the hula master lets freaks in his school he's gonna send me to a better one anyway!"

"Good," Lilo shot back with a grin, "Maybe you'll learn to dance then too!" Stitch chuckled at that. It was a pretty low blow, but Myrtle deserved it. Stitch knew from Lilo's body language that she was more than willing to drop it and go home, but Myrtle wasn't going to.

Myrtle's friends sighed. They wanted Myrtle to drop it too. Myrtle gasped indignantly. "How dare you! I can dance better than you and your stupid pet!" She took another step into the street. The other three girls looked at each other sadly

"Myrtle come on. Lets just go!" Tina said, trying to pull Myrtle back on the curb. Myrtle ignored her friend, and took another step forward.

"And another thing," Myrtle said, taking three more steps towards Lilo. "I don't care how good your dog is at hula, he is not going to be in my re-"

At that moment Stitch heard the sound of a car's engine revving. He turned to the sound to see a large cherry red Porsche come streaming down the street. Before he could even cry out the warning Lilo ran over to Myrtle Evens, and pushed her back on the sidewalk.

"Myrtle! Look out a car is-" Lilo began to say, but she wasn't fast enough. Time suddenly slowed to a crawl. Stitch found himself frozen. All he could do is watch as Lilo pushed Myrtle, turned to see the car approaching, and suddenly she was under the car's tires." Then time resumed it's normal pace.

"Lilo!" Stitch ran after the car, lifted it up still trying to go, and threw it aside. The car landed upside down in a ditch. Stitch then raced to Lilo's side. Lilo was unconscious and breathing only slightly. A puddle of deep red started to form beneath her. Stitch moved to pick her up, but was stopped by the hula teacher, who had run out when Stitch had flipped the car over.

"No, Stitch," he said gently. "Don't touch her. If Lilo has a broken neck or back you could kill her by moving her."

Kill her? Stitch knew was killing was. Gantu often ranted about how he was going to kill Stitch one of these days. He knew a car accident had killed Lilo's parents six months before he had been adopted by Lilo. He knew that to be killed someone stopped living, but why would touching her kill her? And why would anyone think he would want to?" He wanted to ask the hula teacher this, but his pale face and trembling hands made Stitch worry.

"Chirsta," the hula teacher called to one of the older girls. "Call 911. Terri, get the youngster's back into the school. Mary, Call Nani at her job and Mister Bubbles."

They were calling Nani. That didn't make sense to Stitch. He was right here. He always took care of Lilo after hula class, and they wanted Nani. Suddenly it occurred to Stitch that something was very wrong. "Why want Nani?" He demanded to know. "I'm right here!" He tried to move closer to Lilo, but a musician gently picked him up and moved him out of the way.

"Not now pal, We need an ambulance," the musician said gently.

Stitch was now getting worried. Ambulances were for people who were sick, or hurt. Suddenly it began to dawn on Stitch that Lilo was very very hurt.

"Want Lilo!" Stitch suddenly wanted to hear her speak to him to let him know that he was wrong in thinking she was hurt. He tried to go over again this time one of the older girls said gently, "No," and lifted him to the sidewalk with the younger girls, who had refused to go back into the school, stood in a loose huddle.

"Lilo needs an ambulance?" One girl asked.

Another girl looked at Myrtle. "If it wasn't for Lilo you would have been under that car."

"Lilo saved your life," the first girl said.

Tina, the girl who had tried to stop Myrtle said, "and now she's dead."

"NO!" Stitch turned to all four girls growling, and trying to spit out the English he knew. "Lilo not dead! Lilo breathing Lilo..." Stitch turned as he heard the ambulance, and watched as it drove up. Four strange men scrambled out of the van, and surrounded Lilo so that Stitch couldn't see her anymore.

"No! Lilo!" Stitch cried out. He would have made a fourth attempt to approach Lilo, but another sound attracted his attention. The door of the car that had hit Lilo had opened revealing a pale man dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and clam diggers. As he got out of the car he staggered a few feet, and looked around at the commotion.

"What the hell kind of speed bumps to you have on this island? This one picked up my car and threw it!" The man's voice was slurred, and he smelled funny. Like the inside of the bathroom of the bar of the Paradise Hotel.

Stitch felt his badness level rise up as he heard this clumsy, mean, stupid, human call his best and dearest friend a speed bump. His spines and second set of arms came out as he prepared to go full destructive experiment on this man. He began to move forward only to have Myrtle and all the other girls pounce on him.

"Look out he's turning into a monster!"

"He's gonna turn that guy into guacamole!"

"No!" Myrtle said firmly, and whispered into Stitch's earl. "I may not like you two, but I'm not stupid! Lilo just saved my life, and she won't thank me if I let you get yourself into trouble!"

Stitch wasn't listening. He wanted a piece of that guy. "Lemme go!" Stitch demanded. "Gonna turn him into speed bump!"

"You stupid dog no!" Myrtle shouted back. Suddenly a pair of stronger hands plucked Stitch from his temporary guardians. It was Cobra Bubbles.

"Cobra Let ME GO!" Stitch shouted. Cobra held him firmly but gently.

"Hurting him isn't going to make Lilo better," Cobra said calmly.

"Gonna make ME feel better!" Stitch tried to wriggle out of Cobra's grasp, but suddenly a hand brought a sickly sweet smelling rag over his mouth and nose. He didn't mean to breath the scent in, but the moment he did he felt dizzy, and his arms grew heavy.

"Shhhh," a familiar voice whispered into his ear. "You must be the calming down, my experiment. Losing temper is not going to help little girl."

"Naga," Stitch muttered. The funny smell was doing things to his head and body. His voice sounded odd to his own ears. He tried to push the rag away, but he found that he had somehow lost all his strength, as he weakened the cloth and the smell were pressed closer to his nose and mouth. Finally he lost all control of his body as he curled up in Cobra's arms and closed his eyes.

"That's better now," The familiar voice said. Stitch felt his body shifting. Other arms were holding him now. Feeling strangely apathetic to the whole world Stitch listened as he heard the man who had hurt Lilo complain to Cobra.

"That thing should have a muzzle I'm going to complain to the -- WHAM!"

Stitch didn't need to open his eyes to know that Cobra just fed the man a knuckle sandwich.

"You are under arrest for driving under the influence," Cobra's hard unforgiving tone filtered through the odd grey mist in Stitch's mind. Cobra went on to say other things but the mist in Stitch's mind was growing. He was only vaguely aware of people talking and of being held. At one point he was sure David was holding him. David had an odd habit of scratching the fur along Stitch's spines. It felt good and Stitch heard himself purr in response to it. He wasn't very aware of time, but gradually his ears started working again. He twitched them twice to catch what was being said in the room.

"Hey, I think he's waking up." That was David's voice. Stitch stretched out his other senses. Sure enough it was David's gentle hands on his back making Stitch feel like lying there and dozing off, but there was something important he had to remember.

"Well I hope he wakes up, he'll be calmer," Pleakley's voice said. "I don't think I've ever seen Stitch that angry since Lilo's turned him good."

"626 has every right to be angry with stupid drunken person," Jumba insisted sounding pretty angry himself. "He is lucky that I think it more important for 626 to be with us when little girl is awakened than to get in great trouble for giving stupid man what he rightly deserves! Maybe I should create experiment to torment him, no?"

"No!" David and Pleakley answered back.

The conversation made Stitch rewind his mind and remember what had happened just hours before, Myrtle, the car, and .....

"Lilo!" Stitch shook off the rest of his lethargy, and leaped from David's lap into Jumba's arms. "Jumba, where Lilo?"

"Calm yourself, 626." Jumba said firmly. "I do not want to be having to sedate you again. Little girl is in hospital, doctors say she is badly hurt. We will know more when Mister Cobra Bubbles returns."

Stitch swallowed half of his badness. He didn't want Jumba to make him breath that stuff again. Now he remembered it from the lab. It was a way Jumba had of restraining him when he had been completely out of control. Jumba would seal that part of the lab, and then pump the gas in until he was completely helpless and uncaring. Still he wasn't satisfied. "Wanna see Lilo now!"

"Stitch, you can't go to the hospital," David said. "There's nothing you can do for her."

"David is right," Jumba said. "You can not help her now. We must wait here."

Stitch didn't want to wait though. He wanted to see Lilo for himself. He wanted her to be better. He wanted to be with her! He scrambled past Jumba and Pleakley, and tried to make for the door. Just as he was going to race out of the dog door, Cobra opened the door, and glared down at Stitch. "Going somewhere?" He asked sternly.

"Who me?" Stitch tried to sound innocent, but he knew innocent wasn't one of his stronger points.

"How's Lilo?" David asked edging forward in his seat.

"She's in intensive care," Cobra said, without a drop of emotion. "The doctors aren't sure, but they give her a fifty percent chance of survival."

Stitch did the math in his head. Those weren't good odds. "Wanna see Lilo now, Cobra!" Stitch said firmly.

"I thought so," Cobra said. "I'm here to take you all to the hospital. Nani needs the support." Then he turned to Stitch, and said firmly, "but you have to be on your best behavior."

Stitch understood to a degree. He could have caused a lot of trouble if he had been allowed to cut loose earlier. He was sure that somewhere tucked away Jumba would have more of that stuff that put him to sleep, just in case. "You got it!" Stitch said

In the hospital Stitch was the first to see Nani on a bench in the waiting room. He jumped from Jumba's shoulder and scrambled up into Nani's lap. Her eyes were red and puffy, a sign she had been crying. Stitch stifled an involuntary shiver that ran down his spines. Cobra had said Nani needed support and comfort. He snuggled into her lap, and said the first words that came to his head. "Sorry, couldn't stop her. Wasn't fast enough." Suddenly something broke inside of him, and he began to cry. A new emotion filled his heart. It was his fault that Lilo had gotten hurt. He was supposed to take care of her, and he had failed.

"No," Nani sniffed, and wrapped her arms around Stitch hugging him. "No, Stitch I know it wasn't your fault. The Hula master came by earlier. He said nobody could have saved her."

"I could have," Stitch said, as the tears fell in torrents. "Cars don't hurt me. Nothing hurts me."

"The Hula master said that she pushed someone else out of the way. You couldn't have been ready for that." Nani said petting him gently.

"Should have been," Stitch said between whimpers. "Should have-" The sound of a stranger approaching made him stop. It was a young doctor.

"Are you Lilo's mother?" The doctor asked.

Nani rose to her feet, and passed Stitch to David. "I'm her sister, and guardian." She gestured to Cobra. "This is Mr Bubbles from child services."

Cobra nodded completely business like. "How is Lilo?" He asked.

The doctor sighed. "Not good. There is a lot of internal damage. She's gong to need to go to Honolulu for surgery."

The others all gasped in astonishment, but Nani nodded. "I know I've already signed the forms."

"Honolulu?" David asked.

"Surgery?" Pleakley said.

Nani nodded without answering. The doctor at first taken aback by the strange beings in front of him swallowed and explained. "Yes. We're going to wait a day or two until she's stable. It's her only chance."

Stitch didn't see why they had to wait then. "Go now!" He demanded.

The doctors blinked surprised that what looked like a dog could talk but he shook his head, and stood his ground. "Sorry pal, we want to make sure she survives the ride first." He gave Stitch a strange scrutinizing glance before saying more gently. "Don't worry we'll take good care of her for you."

"Wanna see Lilo NOW!" Stitch demanded from David's arms.

The doctor nodded to Nani, who rose to her feet, took Stitch back from David and carried him gently to the window by Intensive Care. Stitch jumped out of Nani's arms, and clung to the window.

Lilo was in a bed near to the window. Her warm tanned skin had already paled and looked cold. Her eyes were closed, and a tube covered her nose. A second tube went down into her throat, and a third was around her wrist. There was so much stuff around her, and the bed was so large that Stitch could barely see Lilo under the covers. "Lilo!" Stitch cried out, and tried to break the glass to go inside, but Cobra Bubbles caught him just in time.

"Stitch, no!" Cobra ordered.

"Want Lilo Now!" Stitch demanded. He didn't want to look at her frail little body full of tubes and machines through a window. He wanted to hold her, and make sure she was all right.

"Stitch, calm down!" David tried along with Cobra to restrain Stitch but Stitch wiggled out of their joint grasp, and raced down the hospital hallway and out of the hospital.

"He's distraught," Nani said, strangely defending Stitch.

"We'd better find him before he causes trouble," Cobra said.

Cobra and Jumba found Stitch in the Police impound lot. He was sitting sadly on top of a heap of little quarter sized pieces of red metal. The hood ornament of the Porsche, the fuzzy dice and the licence plates were stacked neatly on top.

"So, this is where you have gotten yourself to." Jumba said as he surveyed Stitch's destruction. "Nice work. I was thinking what I could do to stupid drunken human."

"Never drive again," Stitch said without much emotion. Then more vehemently. "Never never hurt anyone ever again."

Jumba decided not to explain to Stitch that most likely the human would buy a new car. That the pretty porsche lay at his feet in millions of small pieces was satisfying. Jumba glanced back at Cobra who was convincing the poor attendant who hadn't noticed Stitch's methodical destruction of the vehicle.

"Stitch, come," Jumba said calling him by name, a thing he did only in the most tender of moments. "It is time to be going home."

Stitch didn't resist Jumba picking him up and carrying him back to the dune buggy. Once back at the house Jumba put Stitch to bed, and brought him a glass of milk.

Stitch frowned at the milk and then at Jumba. It smelled funny. As if Jumba had put something into it.

"Do not be looking at me like that 626. You have had very long day. Milk will help you sleep."

Stitch didn't want to drink the drugged milk, but he knew that if he didn't Jumba would only think of something else to make him stay put and rest. At this point he wasn't even sure if he cared. As long as he slept he wouldn't remember the sight of tiny Lilo surrounded by machines and tubes." With a heavy sigh Stitch picked up the glass, and drained it in one gulp. As he handed the glass back to Jumba his accelerated metabolism had already taken the drug through his system. Suddenly his head felt very heavy. Without waiting for Jumba to leave Stitch snuggled down into his bed, and closed his eyes. In seconds he was sound asleep."

Satisfied that his experiment wouldn't be going anywhere for at least the next ten hours. Jumba rejoined the others in the living room. Nani and David were still in the hospital.

"626 is resting now," Jumba said plopping down on the sofa. "The drug I was to be giving him will make him sleep for at least ten hours."

"You drugged him?" Pleakley asked surprised. "Why?"

"I am thinking that 626 is not taking little girl's accident well. Especially not after finding him at impound yard."

"To give him credit," Cobra said calmly taking off his sunglasses and picking up a glass of lemonade. "Stitch only touched the car that hit Lilo. He didn't seem interested in the other cars."

Jumba nodded. "Even so, Mr Cobra Bubbles, doctor says that little girl is not well. If the worst should happen who knows how he will react."

"Jumba!" Pleakley said aghast, but Cobra held up his hand for silence.

"Your point?" He asked Jumba.

"When Lilo goes to Honolulu for her surgery 626 must remain here, on Kauai." Jumba said firmly.

"Stay here?" Pleakley asked. "But you know he'll want to go."

"I know," Jumba said sadly. "But remember, when I first made 626 his only instinct was to destroy. Had there been a large city here then 626 could have caused great disaster."

"You're afraid that if something were to happen to Lilo in Honolulu Stitch might revert to his original programming." Cobra asked pouring himself another glass of lemonade.

Jumba nodded and grunted an affirmative. "626 could in moment of grief and anger cause great damage."

Cobra drained his glass, and nodded. "I'm afraid I must concur. When Lilo goes to Honolulu for surgery Stitch stays behind."

At that moment the phone rang. Cobra answered it. "Yes? Very good. Do it immediately. I'll meet you over there. No, I'll explain later." With that he hung up. "Lilo is ready to be airlifted to Honolulu. I told Nani to go ahead." He looked at Jumba and Pleakley. "Can you two handle Stitch?"

Jumba tried to sound confidant. "I can keep 626 from causing too much trouble. Not to be worrying so much. Focus on getting little girl better.

As Cobra left the home, Pleakley asked anxiously. "What will happen to Stitch if Lilo....if Lilo..." He couldn't finish the sentence.

"I do not know my little one eyed one." Jumba said with a sigh. "I do not know."

birds singing woke Stitch late in the afternoon of the next day. For one moment he had thought that the day before had been nothing more than a horrible dream. "Wow," he said softly then turned to face his friend. "Hey, Lilo I had this...bad....dream"

The bed was neatly made and empty. Lilo never made her bed until it was time for bed. She hadn't slept in it. Then it was true. Everything that happened yesterday had been real, and Lilo was close to death. All the emotions he had yesterday returned with a vengeance. The anger, the sorrow, the sadness and the guilt. He sat for a moment trying to process all the emotions at once. Only a single thought filled his mind. He wanted to be with Lilo.

He jumped out the bedroom window. He didn't want to wake anyone in the house, they might try to stop him. He remembered exactly where the local hospital was. With a speed that even surprised him he raced over to the hospital. He snuck in easily and made his way to the Pediatric ICU. Lilo's bed was empty.

"No!" Stitch said in shock. Then more angrily he cried out. "NO!" He was ready for a rampage throughout Kauai when someone pulled him by his second left arm. He had been completely unaware that he had extended them.

"Stop that!" the young doctor barked. "And get rid of those." This had been the doctor that had taken care of Lilo. Stitch obeyed him a little sheepishly. He had not meant to reveal himself here in the hospital. The doctor didn't seemed that surprised that meant that someone warned the young man about himself.

"They told me you might show up here and freak." The doctor continued. "Lilo's been airlifted to Honolulu. Mister Bubbles thought it would be better for you to stay here."

Stitch was listening but he knew better. It was more likely Jumba's idea than Cobra's but at that moment it wasn't important. Without waiting for the doctor to finish he raced out of the hospital. He had to find a way to get to Lilo.

He had no idea how long he ran around the island looking for a way to get off. He wished badly that he wouldn't sink like a stone in water. If he could swim he get to Oahu in no time. For a long time he sat on the shore, Oahu and the buildings of Honolulu in his range of vision, but completely unaccessible.

"Hey, that's Lilo's dog!"

Stitch's ears perked up. That was Tina one of the girls from Lilo's hula class. She normally hung out with Myrtle and the others, but she was a little older and often more sensible than the others. He turned to face them, and saw the other girls with the exception of Myrtle.

"Where Myrtle?" He asked.

All the others backed up shocked that Stitch that could talk. Tina looked surprised, but gathered her courage and answered him. "She's in her house, and she won't come out. She doesn't want to go to hula class anymore either. She says it's her fault Lilo got hit by the car."

Stitch sighed sadly. He could relate to that. He still felt responsible for the accident as well.

Tina must have sensed his mood, because she asked gently, "How is Lilo."

Stitch wasn't sure not to say. Finally he pointed out to Oahu and said, "Honolulu. Doctors says need surgery." He faced Tina and asked, "what surgery."

One of the other girls answered. "That's when they cut you open an take out parts of your body!"

Stitch was horrified. "No!" He cried.

Tina sighed and pushed the younger girl behind her. "No it's not!" she scolded. Then to Stitch she said. "It depends. I'm sure Lilo's surgery will make her better."

Stitch wasn't calmed though. "Wanna be there!" He demanded he growled at the offending water. "Wanna go now!"

The little blond girl looked out at the water with him. "You'd have to be able to swim or fly to get over there."

The thought of taking Jumba's ship was intriguing, but Stitch figured that Jumba would have been ready for that. "Can't swim, can't fly." He sighed again.

Tina thought about it. "Then you need a boat." She said. Suddenly her face brightened. "I've got it. She gestured to the other girls and they got into a huddle. Once the huddle broke Tina said, "Wait here." And she and the other girls got onto their bikes and rode off.

A half hour later the girls returned without their bikes. On their heads was a little outrigger canoe. "This is my uncle's," Tina said. "You can use it to get to Honolulu."

Stitch was delighted. There were ores in the canoe, and he was certainly strong enough to paddle to the other island! He could see it after all! With the girls help he managed to push the canoe into the water and got in. It wasn't very steady, but Stitch was sure that he could make it to Oahu without sinking. "Muhalo," he told the girls, then began paddling as if his life depended on it, or maybe it was Lilo's life who depended on it.

Hours later Stitch was nearing exhaustion, and Oahu still seemed very far a way. Suddenly he felt his legs get wet. Sure enough the little canoe had sprung a leak.

He cursed in his own language and started using his second set of hands to bail water out of the boat, but the water was filling the tiny vessel faster than he could bail.

"Must keep going," Stitch said panting. He was nearing the end of his strength. Suddenly the boat struck a rock, and began to tear apart. Stitch managed to keep afloat by grabbing on to a piece of the outrigger from the ruined canoe. Using that he still managed to kick slowly towards the beaches of Oahu, but finally he passed out from the strain and the exhaustion.

He felt his body fall into the water, and he was helpless to stop it. But he wasn't drowning. He was half in and half out of the water, and sand was starting to get into his fur. He had somehow made it to shore. He was there. A second later the exhausted little alien had passed out.

Stitch was aware of being in a very strange dream. Jumba had not programed him to have dreams, but after a few months of living with Lilo and Nani he had had a few. His dreams were usually about food, or Lilo, but this one was different. He was laying on a stone table with a fire all around him. He couldn't move. It was like he was paralyzed, but he wasn't afraid anyway. Fire couldn't hurt him. In fact he wasn't feeling much of anything. He felt as if Jumba had given him more of that strange sedative, but that was impossible. He had run away from Jumba and the others. A scattering of sand over his body made him want to twitch his ears, but still he could not move. It was as if he had turned into a statue, but still he was not afraid. A sprinkling of water followed the sand, but Stitch ignored it.

"Now then," said a strange but kindly voice. "Lets see what we can learn about you, little one."

Stitch felt a hand touch him on his head between his antenna. He then began to have a dream within the dream. He dreamed his whole history. He remembered his creation in Jumba's lab. The raid, the trail, his escape, meeting Lilo and Nani, rescuing Lilo from Gantu, and rescuing her again from Gantu with Sparky's help. He dreamed of how they have been hunting experiments for the past few months, and then he dreamed of that horrible accident when Lilo had been struck by a car.

That made him remember what he was doing here. Suddenly he tried to wake himself from the dream. He had to find Lilo. Struggling against whatever force that held him immobilized he tried to cry out.

"Shhhh, Little one," the kind strange voice said again. "Rest now. We'll talk about it later. "

The hand came down again this time on his back, and Stitch lost whatever control he had over his body, his mind, and his senses. Everything faded to black.

When Stitch woke next he found himself on a whicker couch covered in soft feather pillows. He knew immediately that he wasn't on Kauai, and he wasn't home. He was on somebody's sun porch. The bright afternoon sun gleamed down through a canopy of palm trees warming his skin. He opened his eyes and looked about. On a small glass and whicker coffee table there sat a large glass of lemonade, and a platter of seven white cupcakes. The scent of fresh coconut and pineapple was making his mouth water. Before he knew what he had done, Stitch had jumped to the coffee table and had devoured every last cupcake and was draining the glass when the owner of the house came in.

Instantly his ears went back and he regretted letting his instincts rule him for even that short time. He shouldn't have eaten her food like that. The woman smiled pleased at him. She had blue white hair and looked very frail, but at the same time she held herself up proudly as if she was not so small and delicate. She was wearing a simple pink mumu with beautiful white flowers, and a flower lei.

"Well" she said smiling down at Stitch. "I see you liked my offering. Oh no now don't look so upset. Those were for you. I figured you would like something to eat. Those were just for a snack in case you woke up before me. Are you still hungry dear?"

To Stitch's surprise he was hungry. In fact he was famished. Eagerly he nodded back at the woman who put down the serving tray she had been carrying. Before him lay a wonderful dinner of fresh caught pan seared Mahi Mahi fish, with sweet potatoes and peas. On a little plate behind the main course were more of those yummy pineapple coconut cupcakes. Surely all this couldn't be for him.

"Well what are you waiting for?" The old woman asked him. "Eat up, Stitch."

Never having to be told twice to eat Stitch happily gobbled down the meal. As he was polishing off the last cupcake something occurred to him. "How you know my name?" He asked her.

The woman chuckled and sat down. "You told me. You told me everything."

Suddenly Stitch understood. "Dream!" He said surprise. "Not dream?"

"Not exactly," The woman said. "I just cast a spell on you that would tell me who you are, but in order for it to work you had to remember everything."

"Spell?" Stitch asked. This was very strange. He wasn't sure he understood her. Did she mean like a magic spell. "Who you?"

"My name is Shurshana," she told him. "And yes I am what you would call a witch. I can do real magic."

Magic? Was magic even real? Then again what else could keep him from moving. This was a little much for Stitch to take in. "Thanks for dinner," He said climbing off the couch. "I've got to go now."

"You're going to find the hospital that has Lilo in it?" Shurshana asked. Stitch froze at the door. How could she know that?

"What else would you be in Oahu for?" Shurshana said smugly.

Stitch shrugged. She was an odd human, but she was right. "Find Lilo now," he said.

"Would you like some help?" She asked.

Stitch's ears went up instantly. She was going to help him? "You help me?"

Shurshana rose to her feet and picked up a large tote bag. "Of course I will. The islands like you."

Stitch didn't pretend to understand what she meant by that. She opened up the tote bag which was big enough to hold him. "Come on, Stitch, get in. You'll be lest conspicuous that way."

Stitch wasn't sure he liked the idea but he hopped in the bag, and allowed Shurshana to cover him with a soft blue sweater. She got on a bus, and was completely ignored by most of the people around him. Curious, Stitch poked his head out of the bag. A huge city loomed before him. He looked amazed at the tall buildings and all the cars and trucks. Something inside him started to whisper to him about how much evil fun he could have if he gave in and cut loose. How much trouble would he cause if he reversed the one way signs and destroyed the traffic lights?

Destroy the traffic lights? Why would he even think of such a thing while Lilo was in the hospital? He shook his head to clear it, and suddenly realized why the others didn't want him here. He sighed unhappily. In Kauai he never felt those impulses to destroy anymore because there was nothing there to destroy. Here with all this excitement and machines he could feel those instincts rising with a vengeance.

No! He thought to himself as he cowered down in the bag. Even if he never saw Lilo again he would never go back to being so bad. He would never do anything that would make her disappointed in him. An overwhelming sadness filled him instead as he tried very hard not to cry and wet Shurshana's sweater.

Shurshana reached into the bag, and began to scratch at the nape of Stitch's neck. It felt so good Stitch was able to calm himself. He began to doze off when suddenly the bus stopped, and Shurshana got off.

Stitch shook his head to wake himself up. He poked his head out again to see the hospital entrance. "Lilo?" He asked eagerly. Shurshana nodded and walked inside the hospital. She then opened the bag and set him free.

"Can you find her now?" Shurshana asked. Stitch nodded, and instantly put his nose to the cold antiseptic floor. No amount of ammonia or disinfectant was going to stop him from finding Lilo.

In no time at all he had picked up Nani's scent. A second later he could smell Cobra and David. He had come this far he didn't' want to get caught now. He moved from the floor to the ceiling, and trailed the scents to a waiting area where Lilo, David and Cobra were waiting. Cobra was on the telephone. "I see. I see. No I think you can stop looking. I wouldn't be surprised if Stitch found a way off the island. We'll keep an eye out. Thanks Jumba."

When he hung up the phone David said. "Stitch split on them huh?"

"They scoured the entire island and couldn't find him. He must have found some way off the island," Cobra replied.

"What did he do?" Nani asked. "Sprout wings and fly? We know he can't swim."

If only, Stitch thought silently. He was about to move on when a young doctor came out of a doorway. He was still wearing a surgical smock, and a mask was hanging from his neck.

Nani jumped up instantly. "How is Lilo, doctor?"

The doctor sighed. "Well we've done what we can. We had to remove her spleen and appendix, sew up her stomach, and insert pins into her hips. I'll tell you she's lucky. Any higher and she might have been paralyzed"

"But?" Nani had sensed the hesitation in his voice. So had Stitch and he hung quietly by the ceiling to listen.

"She hasn't responded to anything except basic reflexes. She hasn't woken up. We think she's in a coma."

Stitch stopped breathing.

"A Coma?" Nani echoed breathlessly. She almost sank to the floor, but David supported her and helped her remain standing.

"It might not be a bad thing," the doctor said hastily. "Her body might be trying very hard to heal. She could wake up in a day or two, and be fine."

"But," Nani said again. He wasn't fooling her for a second.

The doctor sighed. "Sometimes comas like this can last for months, sometimes years."

"Years?" Nani was close to tears trying to deal with what she was hearing.

No way, Stitch thought to himself. Lilo's gotta get better.

"That's extremely rare." The doctor tried to explain. Don't worry we'll do everything we can."

and so will I, a voice came into Stitch's head. Looking down Stitch saw Shurshana moving past Nani and the others. Follow me, she said again. Still wondering how she was able to speak into his mind Stitch followed Shurshana into a room, where a tiny frail figure lay on the bed. She was still surrounded by tubes and wires and machines, but now she was paler, even less alive than she had been before. With his heart in his throat Stitch jumped down onto the bed.

"Lilo?" He asked. Every so gently he nuzzled her hand. There was absolutely no response. Even his sensitive ears could barely hear her breath.

Shurshana came into the room, closed the door, and tapped it twice. "There now we will have some privacy," she said. She moved slowly over to the bed, and laid her hand gently on top of Lilo's head. "It is as I feared," she said with a sigh. "Her spirit is very far away."

Stitch looked up at his new friend. "Spirit?" He asked.

Shurshana nodded. "Her spirit. That part of you which feels, which thinks, which is. Your body is nothing but a shell, it is your spirit that makes you you."

Stitch wasn't sure he understood. Jumba had never mentioned anything like that before. "I have spirit?" He asked puzzled. "Stitch not born, Stitch made."

"I know," Shurshana replied then she looked directly at Stitch, and Stitch felt an odd sensation of someone touching him from the inside. "But I have seen your spirit. It is strong, good, and full of love. The bond between you and this child are very strong. If you are brave, you and I can call her spirit back from where it has wandered."

Stitch's ears went up instantly. "We can? What I do?"

"I can send your spirit to find hers." Shurshana explained. Once you find her you must convince her to return with you."

"Got it!" Stitch said firmly.

Shurshana shook her head sternly. "You must understand, my young friend. She may not want to return. Where she is now is the boundary between life and death. It is a place of peace and happiness. When I send you there you may not wish to return either. And if you pass the boundaries there, you will be there forever. No matter what, Stitch, you must remember there are reasons to return. Do not forget everyone who would suffer if you do not return."

Stitch thought of all his still missing cousins and what Gantu would do if he found them. "I remember," he said.

Suddenly a noise was heard outside the door. "How did she lock the door there are no locks on them!" A voice, Nani's voice, was saying.

"Old woman, what are you up too?" Called the doctor's voice.

Shurshana turned away from them, and focused her attention on Stitch. "We do not have much time, my friend. Are you sure you wish to do this?"

Stitch snorted. If she knew anything about him, she wouldn't have to ask that question. "Ih," he said firmly, ears and antenna up. "Send me to Lilo."

"Then lay beside her," Shurshana instructed. "Hold on to her hand, and no matter what think only of her."

Stitch did as he was told. Shurshana began to trace strange designs on his back. A strange energy began to flow through his mind. It was an overwhelming sensation of dizziness. Stitch closed his eyes to make the room stop spinning, but it didn't change the feeling of being in the spin cycle of a washing machine.

Suddenly that washing machine feeling increased as Stitch realized that he was under water. Terrified for a second he began to try to scramble to the surface when he realized that he was moving in that direction anyway. As his head popped up to the surface Stitch had to face the impossibility that he was actually floating in the a small fresh water pond being fed by a waterfall behind him. All around the water fall were beautiful hibiscus flowers and orchids. The odor from the flowers was intoxicating, but Stitch didn't even notice as he was still trying to figure out what he was doing.

"Not possible," Stitch said to himself. "Can't be floating."

Your body is nothing but a shell, Shurshana had said. Is this what she meant by being a spirit? Was he a spirit now?

Stitch put the thoughts away. He dog paddled to shore still reviling in the sheer ability to be able to swim! The feel of the sun warmed water on his body. The sound of the water falling down the rocks, and splashing off his fur. This was fantastic! No wonder Lilo loved to go swimming.

He got to shore, and was tempted to just go back into the water to swim some more, but the sound of Lilo laughing snapped him back to remembering his mission.

The water forgotten, Stitch raced across the small island to see Lilo laughing and playing happily on a swing set in a playground on the beach with a woman and man Stitch had never seen before. No, that was wrong. They looked familiar, but Stitch couldn't place where he had seen them. It wasn't until Lilo said, "Higher Dad!" That Stitch realized that the woman and man were Lilo's parents from the photograph she kept in her room.

Lilo's parents were dead. Stitch knew that, though death was a hard concept for him. It was getting harder by the minute. If they were dead then was Lilo? And if she was, was he?

Where she is now is the boundary between life and death Now he understood. Lilo wasn't exactly dead her body was alive back in the hospital, but her spirit was here. So was his. Of course he could swim now, he was no longer in his own high density body.

"Eegalagoo," Stitch said softly to himself as the realization hit him. He also now realized why Lilo might not want to return to the living world. She was with her parents now. Was he going to be able to convince her to return with him? And if she didn't what was he going to do?

Stitch decided to simply plunge in as usual. He ran up to the swings, and scrambled to the top and shouted her name. "Lilo!" He said happily.

"Stitch!" Lilo cried equally joyful. "Dad get me down!" she demanded. Her father released her from the swing as Stitch jumped back down onto the sand. Lilo ran over to Stitch, and threw her arms around him in a huge bear hug. "I'm so glad you're here!" Lilo said. She then turned to her mother and father and said. "We can go home now. Stitch is here."

Lilo's mother and father looked down at Stitch a bit sadly. Stitch understood why. They had intended to take Lilo beyond the point where she could come back. Then Lilo would die, and he would be left alone. "I take Lilo home with me!" He insisted eager to stake his claim to her. "You go back to being picture on wall, okay?"

"Picture on wall?" Lilo asked. "Don't be silly, Stitch. These are my parents. We live with them!"

"No!" Stitch insisted. "Live with Nani, and Jumba, and Pleakley!"

"Nani's away at collage," Lilo said. "And who are Jumba and Pleakley?" Stitch blinked surprised How could she not know Jumba and Pleakley? Suspicious, Stitch growled at Lilo's parents.

"It's not our fault, Stitch," Lilo's father said. "It's very hard here for anyone to remember anything upsetting, and your forgetting the reason why they came to the animal shelter in the first place."

Stitch thought about that. If Lilo couldn't remember bad things then she didn't realize that her parents were really spirits, and any reference to the accident that killed them would be hard for her to recall. "Make Lilo remember!" Stitch demanded.

"She's not ready," Her father insisted, but the mother put a gentle hand on her husband shoulder.

"But she needs to love," she said. Then looking firmly at her daughter she asked, "Why is there a little dome on our house now. Your father didn't put it there."

Lilo frowned her little face serious in her concentration. "It's for Stitch and me." Lilo said. "They made it when they rebuilt the house."

"Why did the house need rebuilding?" her father asked her.

Lilo pet Stitch uncertainly. "It blew up?"

Lilo's father nodded. "And what happened right after the house blew up?"

Lilo frowned again. Bubbles, came to the house he was going to take me away from Nani." Lilo paused in her narration to look at her parents puzzled. "But why take me away from Nani when you.." She stopped again, and tried to figure it out. "You weren't there." She finally said.

"Remember what happened a few months before that, honey?" Lilo's mother asked her. "That rainy night we took home a friend of ours? The night the road washed out? "

Suddenly Lilo's face was awash with horror in understanding. "But..." she began puzzled and tried to think out the right question. "Are we in Heaven?" She asked in awe?

"No, Lilo," her mother said as she reached down and picked her up. "Not yet." She and Lilo's father brought the pair back to the small fresh water pool where Stitch had first surfaced. There was a waterfall there, and Lilo's mother raised her hand. An image formed in the falling droplets. "Tell me what you see Lilo," her mother said.

Lilo peered into the water. "It's a hospital bed, and there's Stitch. He's laying..." Lilo paused, and her eyes widened. "Is that me?"

Lilo's mother nodded. "You were hit by a car, and hurt very badly. The doctors have done everything they can for you, but whether your live or die is your choice."

"My choice?" Lilo echoed.

"If you want to," Lilo's father explained. "You can stay with us. We will never have to be separated again, or you could go back and live with Nani and your friends.

"I don't know!" Lilo said suddenly distressed. "I...I want to stay with you and mom. We can stay Stitch and I right?"

"Whether Stitch stays here or goes back to the living is his choice too." Lilo's mother said. "He'll have to make up his mind for himself."

"Well of course he wants to stay with me." Lilo insisted.

Stitch was listening to the conversation, but he had been watching the images in the water of the hospital room. When Lilo said that she wanted Stitch to stay with her for a brief second the idea was perfect. He knew without knowing how that here, nobody would think of him as different or freaky. Everyone would like him here. He would be with Lilo and her family and be happy forever.

Looking through the water into the hospital room, however he saw Shurshana fall to the floor. Seeing his magic friend reminded him of what she had said to him he had to remember his own reason for going back. He thought about all his cousins still somewhere on Kauai, and he knew that not only couldn't he stay here, he couldn't demand that Lilo go back with him, and leave her parents.

"No," he said sadly, but with resolve. "Stitch not stay."

Lilo jumped down from her mother's arms. "Stitch? What are you saying?"

"Stitch not stay," He repeated more firmly. "I go help cousins. You....you stay with mama and papa. It's okay." It wasn't okay it was breaking his heart to say that, but he knew that Lilo really wanted to stay with her parents, and how deeply she missed them. "It's okay," he said again as he faced her confused and hurt expressions. "I be good, always." Then drawing her in for a hug he said quickly "I love you. Miss you." Then he turned away from Lilo and her family and plunged back into the water ignoring Lilo's cries for him. He didn't dare turn back. If he did he knew he wouldn't have the heart to leave her again. He swam and swam as fast as he could towards the image of the hospital.

Suddenly he sensed something behind him. A white light like a torpedo was barreling down after him. He tried to out-swim it, but the light overtook him and enveloped him washing out the scene of the hospital before him. Some force within the light caught him and cradled him making him feel sleepy and oddly comforted.

If you love something little one, some soft sweet voice echoed through his mind and body, relaxing him further, You must set it free. If it comes back to you it is yours, but if it does not, it never was.

Somehow the voice and the light were filled with an emotion Stitch had only felt when Lilo was around. It didn't take away the horrible emptiness where Lilo's affection used to be, but it eased the hurt considerably. He still felt sad and lonely, but on top of that was a sense of rightness, of that he did what he had to do. He relaxed surrounded by this cloud of light and affection and dozed off hoping that if this was a dream, he would never wake.

It felt like an eternity later, but soon he felt his body waking. He sat up slowly shaking his head trying to get used to the feeling of having such a heavy dense body again. The sound of a light thud and broken wood, brought Stitch completely back into the world. Shurshana had fallen to the floor exhausted, and the spell she had used to hold the door shut had broken allowing the doctors, Nani, David and Cobra to pour into the room.

Stitch saw the pair of security guards, and immediately went into a defensive mode in front of Shurshana. He completely surprised Nani and David by growling and baring his teeth at the two guards who were trying to handcuff Shurshana.

"No touch! Meega-o-itum!" Stitch growled again and snapped at a nearby guard."

"Careful!" David said, "In that mood he could take your hand off."

The two guards backed off a bit. "What the heck is that?" One guard asked.

The other guard said harshly. "Well call it off!"

"Stitch," Nani called. "Come here!"

Like he was actually going to listen to her. "Naga takaba! Not hurt Shurshana!" He growled at the guards. "Go way!"

"He's protecting that woman," Nani said. She looked at the guards and the doctor. "Why don't you guys back off. Stitch won't hurt us." The guards looked at each other and backed away further.

The doctor came into the room. He gave Stitch and Shurshana a wide berth, and looked at the machines around Lilo. "I have to make sure that they didn't do anything to jeopardize Lilo." He suddenly looked at Shurshana, and snorted scornfully. "What kind of miracle did you promise him Shurshana?"

Nani's eyes widened in surprise." You know her?"

"Yeah," The doctor said. "Old Shurshana keeps showing up here promising people magic cures for whatever ails them."

"Not m...miracle," Stitch insisted trying out the new word. "Shurshana promised chance."

"A chance for what?" David asked.

"Bring Lilo home," Stitch insisted.

"Stitch! Lilo's right there!" Nani insisted.

"No!" Stitch shot back. "I saw Lilo! Only part of Lilo here."

Nani shook her head. "You must have been dreaming."

"NOT A DREAM!" Stitch insisted. "Was real!"

"She's just a crazy old woman!" Nani told him. "She tricked you or something."

"Did not!" Stitch replied. "Shurshana magic!"

"Stitch, there is no such thing as magic!" Nani said.

Stitch folded all four of his arms, and glared at her stubbornly. "Is too!"

"There is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Nani!" A small very familiar voice said behind Stitch. "Can you and Stitch keep it down. I'm trying to sleep!"

Stitch's ears when up instantly, and a wonderful feeling filled him. Lilo was back! Stitch was up and on Lilo's bed before she had finished the sentence. Lilo opened her deep brown eyes and smiled as she looked up at her friend.

"What are you two arguing about anyway?" Lilo asked.

Stitch forgot completely about the argument. He carefully reached out and hugged her. "Lilo back!"

Nani was right behind him. "Lilo! You're all right!"

"Wahoo!" David cheered.

"Nani?" Lilo looked up puzzled at her sister. "Nani why are you crying."

Nani could barely breath much less answer her. "Oh Lilo," she said, and pushed Stitch gently aside to hug her sister as well. Stitch didn't seem to mind giving up his place to her.

The doctor smiled warmly, but after a few moments he told Nani, "okay okay I have a patient to check out. You can visit with her more later.

Nani smiled as she picked up Stitch, and went back to the waiting room. To her own surprise Stitch didn't argue. As they turned to leave Nani noticed something. "Hey, what happened to that old woman?"

David, who was waiting by the door blinked surprised. "She didn't go past me," he said.

Stitch chuckled in Nani's arms. "Told you so," he said confidently. "Shurshana magic." He only regretted he didn't get a chance to thank her.

Two weeks later Lilo was allowed to go back to Kauai. They took a cab to the little airport that flew people around the islands. They were almost there when suddenly the cab got a flat tire.

"Just great!" Nani said. Then she grudgingly began to help the cab driver fix the flat.

Stitch, bored by the delay got on top of the car and looked around. "Shuzeba?" He said puzzled

"What is it Stitch?" Lilo asked.

"Wait here," he said. He jumped for a tree and scrambled down to see a little bungalow, and a plate of fresh pineapple and coconut cupcakes. This was Shurshana's front porch. "Shurshana?" He asked.

The thumping of a cane made Stitch turn around. Shurshana was there leaning on her cane and taking a seat on the wicker chair. "Yes I'm here, Stitch"

"Want to say thank you." Stitch said with a little half bow. "You need me I help you, okay?"

"I'm glad you said that my friend," she said. "For when you are helped by magic, you are indebted to the magic. One day I will call upon you, and you will help me."

"You got it." Stitch said. At that moment Stitch could hear Nani and Lilo calling his name.

"I gotta go. Okay?" He said.

"Goodbye, little one," she said with a smile. She handed him a paper sack filled with the scent of cupcakes. "We will see each other again."

Stitch put the tip of the bag in his mouth, and ran back to the car. Nani was calling for him. "Stitch!"

Stitch dropped the bag at Nani's feet. "I'm here! Lets go!"

Nani picked up the bag, and looked at Stitch curiously. "What's this? She picked up the bag and peered in at the contents.

"Present, Stitch answered as he plopped in his seat next to Lilo. "Nani not eat them all!"He said cheerfully. Nani gave Stitch an odd look and said nothing.

As the cab shifted into gear Lilo looked down at Stitch, and asked. "Where did they come from."

"Feeling very satisfied and content Stitch snuggled down next to Lilo and closed his eyes. "A friend. Had to say goodbye." And he wouldn't tell her anything else.

(four months later)

"Lilo! Lilo!"

Stitch's ears were up instantly and he looked around easily in the dark, but as his sleep fogged mind awakened he realized that Lilo was fine and sound asleep in her own little bed. It was Nani in her own bed far below them.

Stitch sighed. Ever since Lilo came home from the hospital, Nani has been having nightmares. Recently Stitch had, for the first time, experienced nightmares himself. For about a month he had relived the accident that had nearly killed Lilo twice a week. He would get so frantic in his sleep he would unconsciously lash out at any who would try to wake him. Once he scratched Pleakley's left arm when he had tried to wake Stitch from the dream. It had left a nasty wound, but the others had told Stitch when he tried to apologize that it wasn't his fault.

His fault or not, Stitch felt guilty about it. Somehow he managed to learn how to recognize the dream, and fight to wake from it. Once he had done that the frequency of the nightmare had dropped to once every two weeks. Nani hadn't fared as well. Almost three times a week she would wake Stitch due to his sensitive hearing. As Stitch listened in the darkness he heard Nani get out of bed, walk around downstairs then the elevator hummed telling Stitch that Nani was coming up.

Nani gasped in surprise as she saw Stitch wide awake staring at her with his wide dark eyes. "Stitch?" She asked. When Stitch nodded she relaxed, and took a step back. "Don't do that!," she whispered harshly. "You freak me out staring at me like that in the dark!"

"Soka," he said. Then softly so they wouldn't wake Lilo Stitch asked. "Nani had nightmare?"

Nani looked at Stitch curious. "How did you know? " She asked. In answer Stitch flipped his ears back and forth once. Nani sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you"

"S'okay," Stitch said reassuringly. He gave a little chitter that warned Nani that he was going to use her as a ride. He jumped to her back piggy back style leaning on one shoulder. Together they moved over to Lilo's bed where the little girl was deeply asleep. She didn't need pain killers anymore which relieved Stitch to no end. He didn't like medicines that made Lilo sleepy. He didn't trust them.

"Lilo okay," Stitch said reassuringly to Nani. "Only bad dream."

"I know," Nani replied. "Or at least my head knows that. It's going to take longer to tell my gut though."

"Mom says you have to relax. You worry too much," Lilo's voice suddenly pipped up. Both Nani and Stitch looked down to see Lilo sound asleep, but speaking none the less."

"Lilo?" Stitch asked, but Nani hushed him.

"It's okay, she used to talk in her sleep all the time when she was younger." Nani said. Still there was something odd about her face that made Stitch wonder.

Nani sat down next to Lilo and stroked her hair gently. "Shhh Lilo, go back to sleep." Nani said softly.

Still sleeping Lilo snuggled against her sister, and muttered. "She said your doing a good job taking care of me too. She's glad we're together."

Nani gulped loudly. On her face was a look of complete uncertainty. "Lilo? Nani asked, but Lilo's muttering had turned to gentle little girl snores. Nani let out a breath, and carried Stitch back to his bed wordlessly.

"Nani?" Stitch asked wordily

"I'm okay," Nani said sounding as if she had just had a major scare. "It's just that Lilo did the same thing right after my parents died. She'd talk in her sleep as if she was talking to them. It scares me."

"Lilo okay," Stitch said. "Nani go back to bed."

"Alright," Nani agreed. She settled Stitch back into his bed with a gentle pat on top of the head. "You go back to sleep too." With that she went back down the elevator.

Stitch snuggled back down his bed, but something was bothering him. He wasn't sure exactly what it was until he heard Lilo stir again from her bed. "Stitch?"

He was off his bed and on her's in an instant. He hadn't needed Nani to carry him over here the first time. He just enjoyed being carried. "Lilo?" He asked.

Lilo's eyes were closed, and her breath was still deep and even. She was still asleep. "Stitch, mom says you have a question, but you can't ask it when I'm awake."

Now it was Stitch's turn to be uneasy. He never did tell anyone about what had happened when Shurshana had cast the spell on him. Well that wasn't true, he told David. He knew Nani wouldn't believe him. Neither would Jumba or Pleakley. This fell well out of the experience of the so-called-earth expert, and Jumba's evil genius. So when he had a chance he told David. David didn't tell Stitch that he had been dreaming, or that he thought Stitch had made it up. He accepted that Stitch believed that this had occurred. Stitch was glad that he had told David. Lately he found he was having trouble remembering exactly what happened. He knew he had seen Lilo's parents, but a lot of the details had gotten fuzzy.

"Mom says its okay that your forgetting. People don't usually remember that stuff anyway," Lilo muttered sleepily. Lilo hadn't remembered anything about seeing her parents, and wisely Stitch didn't tell her. He figured his alien differences allowed him to remember. It had bothered him that he was forgetting, but now he relaxed. He had probably surprised the spirits by remembering in the first place.

"Mom said you had a question I can't answer when I'm awake though," Lilo said. Now Stitch understood what was going on. He did have a question since the moment Lilo had awoken in the hospital. Because Lilo didn't remember he was never able to ask it, but now perhaps with Lilo in this odd form of slumber maybe he could.

"Why Lilo come back?" Stitch asked as steadily as he could. "I told you to stay with Mama and Papa."

Still deeply asleep Lilo smiled, and her hand reached for Stitch's. He took it as she muttered her answer. "I wanted to stay, but I had to come back, you were right, we have to find all the cousins, and I forgot something important."

"What Lilo forget?" Stitch asked.

"I forgot that I'm kinda like your mom," Lilo answered snuggling close to him. "That's why I was waiting for you before you got there, and why I couldn't go without you. I forgot how much you needed me to love you."

Stitch snuggled down next to Lilo. A tear fell from his eye, and a second before he could stop it.

"It's okay," Lilo said as she wrapped her arms around him still asleep, and held him close. "I won't forget again. I promise."

Stitch sighed deeply, and decided to remain where he was. He didn't want to wake Lilo getting out of her arms anyway. He began to relax when a cool breeze flowed over him. For no reason at all he suddenly felt relaxed and peaceful. Everything was going to be okay. Lilo was healing quickly, and soon would be able to play and run about as she had before. For some reason this strange feeling of peace left him very tired. Before he even thought about it he closed his eyes and cuddled next to his friend. All his worries faded away as he fell in to a deep contented sleep that would last for the rest of the night.


End file.
